Mickelson Backtracks on Making 'Drastic Changes' Over Taxes

Golf pro Phil Mickelson backtracked on comments that he made suggesting that he planned to make "drastic changes" because of federal and California state tax increases.

In a statement to Fox News late Monday, Mickelson apologized to anyone he may have "upset or insulted" with the comments that his high tax bracket was causing him to consider "drastic changes" in his life.

"Finances and taxes are a personal matter and I should not have made my opinions on them public," Mickelson told Fox News.

Earlier, Mickelson had said he planned to make "drastic changes" because of federal and California state tax increases.

"It's been an interesting off-season," Mickelson said Sunday after the final round of the Humana Challenge. "And I'm going to have to make some drastic changes. I'm not going to jump the gun and do it right away, but I will be making some drastic changes."

The 42-year-old golfer said he would talk in more detail about his plans — possibly moving away from California or even retiring from golf — before his hometown Farmers Insurance Open, the San Diego-area event that starts Thursday at Torrey Pines.

"I'm not sure what exactly, you know, I'm going to do yet," Mickelson said. "I'll probably talk about it more in depth next week. I'm not going to jump the gun, but there are going to be some. There are going to be some drastic changes for me because I happen to be in that zone that has been targeted both federally and by the state and, you know, it doesn't work for me right now. So I'm going to have to make some changes."

"If you add up all the federal and you look at the disability and the unemployment and the Social Security and the state, my tax rate's 62, 63 percent," Mickelson said. "So I've got to make some decisions on what I'm going to do."

Last year, Mickelson flirted with becoming a part owner of the San Diego Padres, the baseball team that sold for $800 million in August. He was asked Sunday if there was a correlation between the tax increases and what happened to the Padres' deal.

"Absolutely," Mickelson said.

He later explained why he was waiting to provide more details.

"I'll probably be in the media center and I'll probably be a little more open to it because San Diego is where a lot more things, it's where I live, it's where the Padre thing was a possibility, and it's where my family is," Mickelson said. "And it just seems like a better fit than right here off of 18 on Palm Springs."

Mickelson closed with a 66 on Sunday to tie for 37th at 17 under in his season debut.

"I was rusty starting the year," Mickelson said. "I had a great four days here where I can work on my game with perfect weather and wonderful golf courses, where I could build some momentum. Heading into San Diego, I feel a lot more confident."

The tournament was his first since the HSBC Champions in early November in China. The Hall of Famer has 40 PGA Tour victories.